In brief
Mitchell Fairbarn, a 34‑year‑old Canadian, is facing nearly five years in prison after he stole a Chilean flamingo named Peachy from the Flamingo Las Vegas Hotel and Casino in March. The incident, captured on security footage, showed Fairbarn carrying the bird by its neck into an elevator while visibly intoxicated. Animal experts testified that the flamingo suffered feather loss and bleeding, and a veterinarian confirmed Peachy has since recovered but remains wary of humans. At trial, Fairbarn defended the act as a drunken prank, citing heavy drinking as the cause of his poor decisions. His lawyer has highlighted the severity of the case, noting that the jury spent around five hours deliberating before convicting him on both felony and misdemeanor animal abuse charges.
Mitchell Fairbarn, a 34‑year‑old from Canada, has been found guilty of animal cruelty after he took a Chilean flamingo named Peachy from the Flamingo Las Vegas Hotel and Casino enclosure in March. Security cameras recorded Fairbarn walking into an elevator with the bird in his arms while intoxicated, before bringing it into his hotel room.
For the proceedings, Fairbarn claimed he had consumed 30 to 40 beers before the act and asserted he had no intention to harm the animal. However, animal welfare experts testified that Peachy suffered feather loss and blood loss as a result of the removal. A state veterinarian later confirmed the flamingo has largely recovered but now spends its days in a more anxious state around people.
Fairbarn’s lawyer, Josh Tomsheck, framed the incident as a harmless prank and blamed excessive alcohol as being the root of his “bad decisions.” He also noted that the lawyer had received threats since Fairbarn’s arrest.
During the trial, the jury heard from fourteen witnesses and reviewed over 112 pieces of evidence. After around five hours of deliberation, they convicted Fairbarn on felony and misdemeanor animal abuse charges, sentencing him to a potential imprisonment of almost five years. He remains under house arrest in Las Vegas, with a sentencing hearing scheduled for December.
